Zinc-furnace.



A. EOLLIBT.

vZ'ING PURNAGE. APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1911.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

BUSH BBDD naar anni A. POLL-IET.

ZINC PURNAGB. APPLIOATION TILED SEPT. 21, 1911.

Patented Jan. '7, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

hw-venni? l By" V2 y ATTORNEY A. POLLIET. ZIN TURN-AGE. APPLwATIoN HL'BD SEPT. 21, 1911.

PatentedV J an. '7,A 1913.

4 SHEETS-'SHEET 3.

A RNEY A. FOLLIET.

ZINC FURNAGE.

APLm'ATloN FILED SEPT. 21, 1911. n Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

NUNITEE STATES PATENT oEEroE.

ALEXANDRE FOLLIET, OFBRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

Application led To all 'whom t may concern.' y

Be it known that I, ALEX-ANDRE useful Improvements in Zinc-Fur which the following is a specification.

This invention. relates to' zlnc furnaces and l more particularly to' retort furnac type known 'asBelgian furnaces.

The general object of -theinvention Ais to improve; such furnaces in a very manner.and 1n yvarious particulars tributing to a much more perfect operation than has heretofore been' obtained.

The various forms of gas furnacesapplied to the metallurgy of zinc andknownjupto thepresent time present one or 'more ofthe following defects: poor utilization of the .calorifio capacity of the fuel by a utilization or disposition of the regenerato'rs; difficulty, sometimes insurmountable, f in obtaining a u-niform'distribution ofheat, g both in the horizontal 'sense and in the vertical sense, principally in furnaces, capacity, and -most frequent-lyin Igreat length; excessive consumption of re! fractory retorts or similar containers, even in the -case of proper utilization of riiic capacity of the fuel, because of the formation, even though temporary, of darts or jets of flame resulting from the more orless abrupt mixtureofgas and air forcombus.-

tion, even though this airl enters Avth by the suction of natural draftalone; dili v vculty in the matter of access to' or. r of the. openings forintroduction of air and gas, during theope'ration o f the fur 'ditliculty in cleaning in general; in Vary at willthe manner of regeneration or of combustion; small explosions, always injurious 4to the refracto'ry receptacles, at the moment of reversing, even ,though ation be performed carefully;

-in the great' majorit f Y.. "Clases, of poor gas for heating, f u .v In the furna'e'lviff,

the invention illustrated is characterized by therfurna Spccication of Letters Patent.

impossibility,

thev presentQinvention `these various defects'are-eliminated and va-' rious other advantages areattained. This furnace, inf the particular e'nnbodiIIeIitl of ZINC-FURNACEL Patented J an. 7, 1913. September 21, 1911. Serial No. 650,665.

eating with each other and being arranged in parallel between the two sets of ducts for air and gas; absolute independence of the recuperation by the gas and the recuperationby the air by means of two independent ducts with independent controlling means, leading from the reversing mechanism to the dischargeand communicating withthe 'two kinds ofregenerators; a special construction of the air regenerators, which are disposed valong the lengt-h of the furnace beneath :the retort chambers Vand .divided by transversel division walls into chambers com-v municatingwith each other alternately at the top and vat the bottom so that the air and the burned gases are caused to travel through FOLLIET, Brussels,

naces, of

es of the material all conof great those -of verse section, lthe two halves of theview be the caloing taken on different planes, the right air admission ports and the left-hand part e furnacel twohalves of the view being taken on different planes, 'one side of the furnace being cut through .the air duct and the other through the gas duct; Fig. 5 isa sectional view of a reversing device; and Fig. 6 isa sectional view of another reversing device.

The invention lis shown as embodied in a furnace of considerable length; The inteegulation nace, and ability to the operdinal wall as is customary, and at opposite sidesof'this wall are theretort chambrsL. 'utilizing ity of these chambers are formed at each side of 'the' furnace by means of transverse partitions M. i These partitions extend all -the way from the top to the bottom and from membersf each series of chambers from eachother. Communication-- is provided,

back nace back Aatoppositev sides of the furd'" preferably this communication is eflnfof the'ehambers, being propeningsV fs,.- In accordance `with efmventxonfthesefretort chambers are' conand' suitable embodiment of the invention as con- Ahand part being in the plane of one of the,

however,f between the chambers,V which are these regenerators-in anup and down zigl tort chambers; Fig. 3 1s a vertical transl being .in the plane of one of the gas admis* slon ports; Fig. 4 is a sectional plan, the

rior of the furnace is divided by a longitu- In accordance with this invention a plural.-

nected in parallel between the two sets of gas and air duels G and A, which latter preferably, though not necessarily, extend longitudinally over the tops of the chambers L, the gas ducts above the air ducts. The gas and air ducts communicate with the Chambers Lby means of passages g and a,

respectively, which lopen through the arches lated material may be removed therefrom.

T he gas and air ports a and g for each chamber are grouped and formed in a special manner for obtaining a highly improved action as to mixing and combustion. As shown, the ports are in the nat-ure of narrow slits, parallel and adjacent to each other, the gas port heilig always between two air ports. For most purposes a group of three ports is suitable, two air ports and ay single gas port therebetween. In the best cox'istruct-ion the gas port is in advance or outside of the air ports, that is the ports overlap but are not in lateral alinement, as shown more particularly in Fig. l. In this connection, the best results are obtained by inclining the outer end wall of each gas port g downward and inward and the inner end walls of the air ports downward and outward, as shown more particularly in F ig. 3. For many purposes it is also desirable to incline the side walls of the air ports a toward the intermediate gas port, thus causing the Iiat air streams to converge slightly towardthe flat gas stream. The mixture of the gases entering through y such a group of ports is gradual and progressive, the thin streams gradually mingling by contact at. their broad sides. In this way even combustion is afforded. IVhile I have shown but one group of gas and air ports for each chamber and this group at the top of the chamber it will be understood that more groups may beemployed if desirable and that the location may be different. However, the construction illustrated is the preferred one.

The gas duets G are closed at one endv and communica-te at the other end each with an upright gas Iegenerator' chamber RG, of comparatively small cross-section; At the ends adjacent these regcnerators the air ducts A are closed, but their opposite ends communicate with vertical passages A'. These latter communicate Ywith the chambers 'RA'of the two air regenerators which extend longitudinally beneath the series of retort chambers. The chambers of eacli air regenerator are formed by transopenings P at the bottom permit of the verse partitions N which alternately extend from the bottom toward the top and from the top toward the bottom, leaving alternate upper and lower openings between the chambers, so that the air or products of combustion, as the oase may be, are caused to travel through the chambers in an up and down zigzag fashion as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. It will be obvious that the brick-work in the regenerator chambers may be constructed in any suitable or approved manner. Small openings p through the outer walls of the furnace permit of the cleaning of the brick-work, and larger removal of dust and other deposits trom the bottoms of the regenerator chambers. The partitions N may be in vertical alinement with the partitions m, so that the air regenerator chambers have the same arrangementas the retort chambers, or other arrangement may be employed.

Two passages G2 lead to the two gas re generators RG, and two passages ,YV lead to the two air regenerators. A single passage cg is provided for leading the pro-u ducts of combustion that have passed through either gas regenerator to the` stack, and a passage ca is provided for leading the products of vcombustion that pass through either air regenerator to the stack.

As shown. the passages cg and ca may discharge into a tine C, which conducts the products of combustion into the stack (not shown). This iue C maybe extended for any suitable length, so as to serve more than one furnace. This flue and the passages eg and ce. are preferably below the surface of the ground. In accordance with the invention these passages cg and ca leading from the reversing mechanism to the discharge are entirely separate, and independent controlling means, such as valves of suitable nature, indicated at rg and rmi-espectively, enable theproportions of the products of lcombustion passing through these two ducts to be` regulated. Suitable reversing devices I and I2 are providedin connection with the air regenerators and the gas regenerators respectively. A suitable embodiment of thereversing device I is shown .inA Fig. 2. The reversing device comprises a casing having an ,inlet opening 'i at its top, with which communicates the conduit CG which leads from the gas regenerator or other 12o source of fuel supply. The casing has also two openings 2 at its bottom which register with the two openings G2. In addition the casing has an opening 3 in its bottom to communicate with the opening cg. A rotary valve 4 is mounted in the casing, its relation being such that in one position it attords a passage between the opening z' and one of the openingsfig, and aA passage between the other opening 2 and the open- 130 are reversed. The reversing device I2 is illustrated in Fig.l 6. It has a casing provided with an opening 5, which communicates with the air conduit CA, openings 6,

f air.

bers,

l expedient of inserting bricks or balls of re' .the reversing device I2 which communicates with the openings A2, and an opening i?, whichcommunicates with the opening ca.. It also has a suitable rotary valve is, by means of which the passages afforded through the casing may'be reversed. As will be readily understood; for the air places either of the passages A2 in communication with the passage ca to the stack'and opens the other passage A2 for the admission of In like manner the reversing device Pis movable to place either of the passages G2'in .communication with the passage cg to the stack andthe other passage G12 in com'- munication` with the gas supply.'

In operation the furnace Apossesses numerous advantages. The control is excellent, andthe retort chambers are notv subject to temperature ,iuctuations Moreover, the temperature maintained is uniform throughlout the entirety of the furnace, irrespective of the length thereof. Any pair of o posite chambers may be regulated or cut o independently of the others, without affecting in any way the operation of the remainder of the furnace. There is no danger of a formation of darts or jets of fiame or sudden or uneven combustion, even when forced draft is employed. These results are due in 'part to the sectioning of the combustion chambers and the arrangement so that the air and `gasfenter each chamber independently ofthe other chambers of the same series, and partly to the special 'formation and arrangement of the groups of air and gas ports or the several chambers. A further advantage is-the improved utilization of' the heat of the products of combustion through the improved construction ofthe air regenerators. Further, owingA to the proportions of angerof explosions is removed. The admission of air or gas or lboth to anyone of the chammaybe varied. or cut off, independently ofthe other chambers by the simple fractory material or` the like through the openings pa or pg over the slits for the admission of airand gas-respectively. All of the parts of the cessible during operation. c

In operation the reversing devices are positioned sc as to place the air regenerator RA and thegas regenerator RG, atone side of the furnace, in-- communication with the 'i Aair and gas-supply, respectively, lWhile the airand gas --regenerators at the other side -through the air and furnace are readily ac of the furnace are placed in communication with the two passages ca and cg leading to f 4 through the gas regenerator RG, and the air passes in zigzag fashion through the air regenerator chambers RA and thence up the vertical passage A. The air and gas, now heated to the desired degree, enter and flow along the longitudinal air and gas ducts A and G over the combustion chambers at one 'side of the furnace. The air and gas in these ducts are divided and enter the sevferal chambers L by way of the slit-like air and gas ports a and g. Combustion takes Vplace in the several` chambers under the ypeculiar conditions insured by these supply ports, and the flame and products pass downward in each chamber, through the openings f at the bottom thereof, and into each chamber L at the other side of. the furnace, where :the products flow upward and pass out.

gas ports a and g pertaining to that side of the furnace, and thenceby way of the. other set of air and gas ducts A and G and the other set of air and. gas regenerators to the separate passages'ra, and rg, by which theyenter thestacln Uponvreversal, the air andjgas How The means for .introducing the air and gas into the combustion chambers and causing the gradual mixing Aof the gaseous iuids, in such manner as to obtain the maximum free and open expansion or development of the flame, together with a very considerable radiation of the heat, constitutes the subjectmatter of my co-pendingapplication filed of even date herewith.

` What I vclaim as new'isz` 1.'A zinc furnace having a longitudinal wall and transverse partitions forming two longitudinal series .ofretort chambers arranged back to back at .opposite sides of the furnace, there being communication between the opposite chambers, longitudinally leX- 'tending gas and air ducts for-each series of chambers, and means yconnecting the pairs of opposite chambers in parallel between th two sets of ducts.

2.,A zinc furnace having an elongated Chamber and transverse partitions dividing the same into a longitudinal series of non- ,commnicating retort chambers, ducts'and 105..-` 1n the reverse manner through the furnace. I

. sides of the furnace, there being communication between the chambers at one side and the chambers at the other side, ducts and means connecting the pairs of opposite V chambers in parallel between the ducts.

4, A zinc furnace having two longitudinal series of retort chambers arranged back to back at opposite sides of the furnace, there being communication between the opposite chambers, longitudinally extending gas and air ducts for each series of chambers, means connecting the pairs of opposite chambers in parallel between the two sets of ducts, two sets of gas and air regenerators connected with said ducts, separate and independent `tiues from the air and gas regenerators to the stack, and means for controlling the passage of fluid through said fines.

A zinc furnace having two longitudinal series of chambers arranged at opposite sides of the furnace, the chambers of each series being completely divided from each other by transverse walls, there being communication between the chambers of one series and the chambers of the other series adjacent their bottoms, longitudinally extending gas and air duets over each series of chambers, and ports opening intothe tops of the several chambers and communicating with said ducts.

G. A zinc furnacev having two longitudinal series of chambers arranged at opposite sides of the furnace, the chambers of cach series being cmnpletely divided from each other by transverse walls, there being eom municatiou between the opposite chambers of one series and the chambers of the other series adjacent their bottoms, longitudinally extending and air ducts over each series of chambers, said ducts being superposed, and ports through the arches of the several chambers communicating with the lower duct and passages leading downward from the up'per ducts and terminating in ports opening through the arches of the several chambers.

7. A zinc furnace having a longitudinal division wall and a plurality of transverse partitions dividing the interior of the furnace into two series ofcompartiuents at opposite sides of the furnace, the said transverse partitions rendering the compartments of each series entirely separate and independent of each other, r

8. A zinc furnaceV having" an elongated furnace chamber, transverse walls the full height and width of said chamber dividing the same into independent compartments, and means'whercby sai-.fl compartments are supplied individually with heat.

9. A zine furnace having a longitudinal wall and transverse walls forming two longitudinal series of retort chambers arranged back to back at opposite sides of the furnace, there being communication between the opposite chambers, longitudinally extending gas and air ducts over each series of compartments, means connecting the pairs of opposite chambers in parallel with the two sets of ducts, and air regenerator chambers disposed beneath said retort chambers.

10. In a retort furnace, in Acombination with longitudinally extending retort chambers at the two sides of the furnace, the chambers being arranged in pairs, back to back, transverse partitions between the chambers, passages communicating between the gas regenerator comlnunieating with the retort chamber space at the other side of the furnace, a flue for connecting the air regenerators with the stack and a separate iiue for connecting the gas regenerators with the stack, means for controlling the flow of fluid through said flues and ducts extending longitudinally' of theA retort chambers and having communication therewith and with the regenerators.

- 11. In a retort furnace, in combination with longitudinally extending retort chambers at' the two sides of the furnace, the chambers being arranged in pairs, back to back, transverse partitions between the chambers, passages communicating between the members of-a pair, two sets of air and gas regenerators connected respectively with the chamber spaces at the two sides of the furnace, reversing means and two separate ues, one for the air regenerators and one for the gas regenerators, leading from said reversing means to the discharge.

12. Inal retort. furnace, in combination with longitudinally extending retort ychambers arranged back to back, the chambers being in pairs, transverse partitions separating the pairs, passages communicating between the members of a pair, two sets of air and gas regencrators, respectively connected with the chamber spaces at the two sides of the furnace, reversing means, two separate flues, one for the air regenerators and one for the gas regenervtors, leading from said reversing mechanism to carry off the eX- haust gases and separate means for regulating the flow through said iiues.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDRE FOLLIET.

Witnesses: t

CHAs. ROY NAsMrrrr. EMILE VAN WANSELLE.

topics of this patent mav be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

'members of a pair, an air regencrator and a 

